SPIE - Education Specifying and Mitigating Laser Damage SC1168

In today's environment of shrinking systems and a focus on making lasers affordable, the oldest problem in building reliable lasers - laser induced optical damage - is at the forefront of every laser designer's mind. From specifying and verifying the laser damage threshold of specialty coatings, to imparting appropriate cleaning procedures on the production line, no aspect of the design and build process can be neglected in order to achieve success reliably. This course will provide an overview of the history of laser damage, the scientific community's understanding of critical mechanisms at play, a review of the current standards of use, and good practices for testing and mitigating laser damage mechanisms. Completion of the course will bring a broad understanding of laser damage, and provide a strong base on which to build solutions for a variety of laser damage problems.